Archibald FINALIST Liz Sullivan Congratulations!
Liz Sullivan Germaine
synthetic polymer paint, oil, coloured pencil, graphite and pastel on board
159.8 x 120 cm
CONGRATULATIONS TO LIZ SULLIVAN
2024 ARCHIBALD FINALIST
‘You know I don’t like portraits.’ So said Germaine Greer while sitting for this painting. ‘Her only instruction was that she wasn’t having any input,’ says Liz Sullivan, a first-time Archibald finalist.
Greer is a trailblazing feminist, academic, author and conservationist, who became a household name in 1970 with her seminal, bestselling book The female eunuch.
Greer now lives in aged care near Sullivan’s home in regional Victoria, so one morning the artist and her sister paid a visit. ‘I had considered asking Germaine to sit for a portrait but decided she was too formidable. In fact, she was very approachable, put us all at ease and agreed,’ says Sullivan.
‘Her mind fired like a fully charged battery. The only things that stayed still were her legs. She didn’t want any make-up or special clothing, just a glass of wine for both of us while I tried to keep up with her in wide-ranging discussions about politics, sport and world affairs.
‘I began with overlapping images, trying to match Germaine’s vitality. This final painting has a simplicity about it. Germaine’s stance and hands speak loudly, the pencil marks speak softly – a limited palette capturing both her strength and vulnerability.’
Germaine Greer and Liz Sullivan at the opening of Liz Sullivan's 'Wild Parterre' exhibition in February 2024 at Cascade Art Gallery in Maldon, Victoria. Photo Credit Jeff Gardner